How to fix Safari tabs disappearing on iPad and iPhone

While using Safari, have you noticed that some of your open tabs are missing and you can’t seem to find them? The tabs are most likely still open, you just have to look for them in the right places. Let’s show you how.

Two Safari windows on iPad

1. See all your open windows in Safari on iPad

Unlike iPhone, but like Mac, Safari on iPad lets you open more than one window.

You might not see a Safari tab that’s open in a different window in case you have multiple active windows that you opened and forgot. Secondly, clicking some website links can force a new browser window.

In these situations, you might miss seeing a specific tab if it isn’t on your current Safari window but on a different one.

Here’s how to quickly see all open Safari windows on iPad:

  • Go to your iPad Home Screen or pull up the Dock.
  • Press and hold the Safari app icon.
  • Tap Show All Windows .

Show All Windows in Safari on iPad

Now, tap one of the windows that has the Safari tab you thought had disappeared.

2. Merge all Safari windows on iPad to get back hidden tabs

With Safari open on Mac, when you click Windows from the top menu bar, you see an option called Merge All Windows. Clicking this instantly brings all the tabs of different windows in a single window.

The same handy functionality is in Safari for iPad.

Here’s how to see your hidden Safari tabs on iPad by merging all active windows into one:

  • Inside Safari, press and hold the button made up of four tiny squares.
  • Tap Merge All Windows .

Merge All Windows in Safari on iPad

Now, Safari will bring all the tabs of different windows to a single place. From here, you can easily find the Safari tabs that you thought were missing or hidden from plain sight.

3. Reopen your recently closed Safari tabs on iPad and iPhone

Sometimes, it’s likely that you accidentally closed a Safari tab or closed one intentionally and then forgot about it.

You can easily open such recently closed Safari tabs by following these steps:

  • Inside Safari, tap the tab button (made of two overlapping squares).
  • Press and hold the plus button (+) to see Recently Closed Tabs.
  • Tap the desired website to reopen it.

Open recently closed tabs in Safari on iPhone

For more: How to quickly reopen recently closed tabs in Safari on iPhone or iPad

4. Stop Safari from automatically closing open tabs

With iOS 13 and later, Safari can automatically close open tabs after one day, one week, or a month. In case you or someone with access to your iPhone or iPad enabled this option, you might be opening a tab, and the next day it closes, making you wonder, “Where has my Safari tab gone!”

To fix this, follow these steps to prevent the auto-close of Safari tabs:

  • Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
  • Tap Safari .
  • Select  Close Tabs .
  • Choose  Manually .

Stop Safari from automatically closing tabs

From now, open Safari tabs won’t disappear, and you can access them as long as you don’t close them manually.

Fixed: Safari tabs hiding or missing on iPhone or iPad

This is how you can fix the issue of Safari tabs hiding or disappearing from plain sight on your iPhone or iPad. Besides this, if you continue to face such inconveniences, make sure you inculcate the habit of restarting your iPhone at least once every three days.

Finally, if you’re on an old version of iOS or iPadOS, go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the newest available version of the operating system for your device. Usually, such bugs are fixed by Apple via software updates, ensuring an improved experience.

Safari tips for you:

  • 11 tips to customize and personalize Safari on iPhone and iPad
  • How to allow pop-ups in Safari on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
  • How to stop name, address, email, and payment autofill suggestions in Safari

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Disappearing Safari tabs on iPhone and iPad? 10 Working fixes

Anoop

Here are some quick fixes:

  • You can disable auto-close Safari tabs on iPhone by going to Settings > Safari > Close tabs > Manually .
  • Ensure that all tabs are visible by using either  Show All Windows  or  Merge all Windows option in Safari on iPad.
  • To access the closed tabs, tap and hold the  Plus button  and select the tab you want to open.

I think we can all agree that the disappearing Safari tabs on iPhone and iPad are frustrating. Especially if you were doing something and paused it to resume later, only to discover Safari has automatically deleted all those tabs.

If you tend to keep multiple web pages open on your browser to access them later, losing them would be the last thing you want to happen. So why does safari tabs keep disappearing on iPhone and iPad? There are multiple reasons for it, and I have gone through them to find the right fixes for you. Read along!

  • Disable auto-close Safari tabs
  • Show all Safari windows on iPad
  • Merge all windows on iPad
  • Access the recently closed Safari tabs
  • Check the browser history
  • Bookmark the tabs on Safari
  • Check internet connection
  • Enable background app refresh
  • Update software to the latest version
  • Restore tabs through other Apple devices
  • Hard reset your iPhone

1. Disable auto-close Safari tabs

Auto-close is a feature in iOS and iPadOS, where you can make Safari close all the tabs after a particular period, such as a day, week, or month. If it’s turned on, the time to worry thinking why your safari tabs keep disappearing has come to an end, as you are going to find the fix here:

  • Open Settings → tap Safari .
  • Scroll to the Tabs section and tap Close Tabs .

Disable Auto-close on iPhone

That’s it! Now Safari won’t be closing tabs automatically, and you can have peace of mind.

2. Show all Safari windows on iPad

Despite turning off the auto-close tabs on your iPad, if you still cannot access all the Safari tabs, it might be because you are using multiple Safari windows on your iPad. So, let’s see how to switch between multiple Safari windows and find the disappeared tabs:

  • Press and hold the Safari icon on the dock.

show all windows on iPad

Now, you can see all the Safari windows that you have opened. Check if you can see the tab you are looking for in these windows. If you want to merge all these windows, I have mentioned the steps for that in the next part.

3. Merge all windows on iPad

Since managing all the Safari windows is a difficult task, the best way is to merge them all. All you have to do is:

  • Open Safari .

Show Tab Overview

As you can see, all the tabs present in multiple Safari windows will be combined and will be shown under a single window. Now, you can jump between tabs without fear of losing any tab unexpectedly until you close them.

4. Access the recently closed Safari tabs

If you closed a Safari tab mistakenly, it’s very easy to revive them. All you have to do is:

  • Tap and hold the  + icon  in Safari for iPad at the top right. On iPhone, tap the tabs button → long-press the  + icon .

access recently closed Safari tabs on iPhone and iPad

Other than that, you can also open the closed tabs on Safari from the browser history section. I have mentioned that in the next method.

5. Check the browser history

  • Open Safari on your iPad or iPhone
  • Tap the book icon at the top left.

browser history on Safari for iPhone

6. Bookmark the tabs on Safari  

If Safari keeps closing the tabs on your iPhone or iPad, it could be some bugs in iOS. It would be better to stick with a workaround until a fix is released. The best one is to bookmark all the tabs that you are using. But wait! Before you think about the tedious process, I can assure you it’s very simple. Just follow these steps.

  • Open Safari → tap the tabs icon.
  • Tap and hold one tab .
  • Now, tap Add Bookmarks for X Tabs .
  • Give a name to the folder.

Bookmark the tabs on Safari on iPhone

  • Name the folder and select a location .
  • Next, tap Save .

You can access these bookmarks from the location you have saved. If Safari removes your tabs, you can load them by selecting  tap and hold that folder  →  Open in New Tabs or Tab Group .

7. Check internet connection

All the methods you have performed will be useless if you haven’t connected to the internet. Connect your  iPhone or iPad to the internet  and see if you face any issues. Safari is an internet browser; hence, it needs a proper internet connection to use its features.

8. Enable background App refresh 

Maybe it’s because Safari is not allowed to run in the background, causing the app not to behave properly and thus, miss some tabs. You can enable  Background App Refresh to let Safari run in the background. All you have to do is:

  • Open Settings and tap General .

enable Background App Refresh on iPhone

  • Now, tap Background App Refresh again.

enable background app refresh

9. Update software to the latest version

Safari cannot be updated individually since it’s a system app, and the only way to update is by updating your iOS or iPadOS version. You can check for the latest software updates on iPhone or iPad by going to  Settings → General → Software Update .

10. Restore tabs through other Apple devices

Since you cannot access Safari tabs on iPhone and iPad, let’s look at a way to restore them. But for this method, you should have already enabled the  Sync  option on your Apple ID and should be logged in with it on another iPhone or iPad. After that:

  • Open Safari and select the Tabs icon on the other iPhone or iPad.
  • Scroll down, and you’ll see tabs opened on other devices.

11. Hard reset your iPhone

If you cannot fix the issue of tab disappearing on Safari, the last resort is to reset your iPhone or iPad , as it may fix the software bugs causing the issue. But before that, perform a quick  restart  or a  force reset  as some issues will be easily fixed.

No, updating your iPhone won’t delete tabs of the Safari browser. You can ensure by turning off the auto-close tabs option from  Settings → Safari → Close tabs → Manually .

The Safari bookmarks might get deleted if you have turned off the sync between devices, and thus, you won’t be able to access bookmarks saved on other devices.

That’s it!

I can understand how frustrated you will feel when tabs disappear on Safari. With this guide, I hope you were able to fix the issue once and for all. Also, do you prefer Safari over  other alternatives ? Let me know in the comments below.

Want more Safari tips, tricks, and fixes? Here are some handpicked ones:

  • 24 Best Safari extensions for iPhone and iPad
  • How to change Safari background on Mac
  • How to translate web pages in Safari on iPhone and iPad
  • Safari tips and tricks for iPhone

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Safari Tabs Disappeared on iPhone? How to Get Them Back!

What to know.

  • You can re-open recently closed tabs in Safari by tapping and holding the plus icon.
  • Lastly, check if your missing tab is hidden in another tab group or within a separate Safari profile.
  • If your Safari tabs disappeared on iPad, you can try merging windows or revealing the iPad shelf.

safari window gone

Why do your tabs keep closing on iPhone or iPad? Maybe you wanted to retrieve a few interesting recipes you saw online, but now the tabs for those recipes are nowhere to be seen in Safari. But don't panic! We'll show you how to retrieve those lost tabs on your iPhone or iPad.

  • iPad-Specific Fixes
  • Re-Opening Closed Tabs
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do My Tabs Disappear in Safari on iPad?

Safari closing tabs on its own seems to happen somewhat frequently to iPad users. We'll start with some iPad-specific fixes for how to get tabs back. Has your Safari app completely disappeared from your Home Screen? Find out how to get Safari back on your iPhone or iPad . For more iPhone and iPad troubleshooting pointers, be sure to sign up for our free Tip of the Day newsletter.

How to Get Tabs Back on iPad

If you're browsing the web on an iPad and you have multiple Safari windows open, then you may not be able to see all your tabs. These steps will allow all your open tabs to appear in the current window. This potentially includes some tabs that weren’t visible in the Tab Overview screen. For a more in-depth tutorial, check out our article on re-opening closed tabs in Safari .

iPhone Life

Reveal the Shelf on iPad

This method will show any open windows directly above the Dock. As a result, you will be able to switch between windows and potentially reveal any Safari tabs that disappeared on your iPad.

safari window gone

How to Open a Closed Tab on iPhone & iPad

The purpose of this method is to find and reopen tabs you may have accidentally closed. This works on both iPhone and iPad (although the placement of the buttons in the below screenshots will look different depending on your device).

safari on iphone with tab button circled in red

Disable Auto-Close Tabs

Another cause of Safari tabs disappearing is a setting that automatically closes open Safari tabs after a set amount of time. This can prevent the problem of too many open tabs but can also lead to tabs you still want open getting closed. Here's how to solve this issue on your iPhone or iPad.

iphone settings with safari circled in red

Bookmark Open Tabs

Once a tab is bookmarked, you will always be able to find it, even if it's closed or your browser history is closed

safari window gone

Check Tab Groups & Safari Profiles

In Safari, you can create tab groups to separate all of your different tabs into specific groups. For example, if you have several recipe tabs open, you could place these tabs into a group called "Dinners." Additionally, iOS 17 and newer include a feature called Safari Profiles, allowing you to separate your browsing sessions into different profiles.

iphone safari tab view with red arrow pointing left indicating to swipe left on the tab bar

If you are still having trouble opening closed tabs or locating a missing tab, it may, unfortunately, be lost forever. Next, find out the best ways to manage your Safari tabs .

Why do my tabs keep closing on iPhone? You might have your Safari tabs set to automatically close. You can change this by going into Settings, tapping Safari, and then selecting Close Tabs. Check out the above section on how to set your Safari tabs to manually close  for more information.

How to close all tabs in Safari? You can close all your open tabs at once. If you've become too overwhelmed by all your open tabs, simply tap and hold the tabs button, then select Close All Tabs. Check out this tip on how to close all tabs at once  for a more detailed view.

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Disappearing Safari Tabs on iPhone or iPad? How to Find Them

Every so often, a seemingly small bug in Apple's operating systems survives the company's annual OS launches and continues to cause users huge frustration from one software update to the next.

apple macos bigsur safari improvedtabs 06222020

While there isn't an accepted solution to the problem of disappearing tabs, there are cases where it might seem that your tabs are gone, when in fact they are just hidden from view. Here are some ways that you may be able to get them back or stop them from disappearing in the first place.

Reveal Hidden Tabs

On iPadOS, for example, if you press and hold the Show Tab Overview button (four squares in a quadrant) in the top-right corner of the Safari window, this will reveal a dropdown menu that includes an option to Merge All Windows .

safari

Reveal the Shelf

Another action worth trying on iPadOS is pressing and holding the Safari icon in the Dock or on the Home Screen and selecting Show All Windows from the popup menu that appears.

shelf

Recently Closed Tabs

If you have an inkling that some of the tabs you're missing have been inadvertently closed, you can always use the Recently Closed Tabs option to re-open them. All you have to do is open up the tab view in Safari and long press on the "+" icon to get a look at all of the tabs that you've recently closed.

Turn Off Auto-Close Tabs

If you still haven't been able to find some of your tabs, make sure that Safari isn't closing them after a certain duration on your behalf: Open Settings , tap through to Safari -> Close Tabs and ensure that Manually is selected.

safari tabs

Bookmark All Open Tabs

If the above suggestions haven't worked for you, there is a workaround: Consider bookmarking your open tabs after each browsing session. This might sound like more hassle than it's worth, but since iOS 13 Apple has included a one-tap option to just that.

safari tabs

A popup menu will appear at the on the screen from which you can select Add Bookmarks for X Tabs , the X being the number of tabs open.

Once you've tapped this option, you'll be asked to save the tabs in a new bookmarks folder (remember to give it a recognizable name). Alternately, you can choose a location from the existing folder list in which to save the tabs.

safari

To access your bookmarks in Safari at any time, simply tap the Bookmarks icon in the main browsing interface or the sidebar to reveal all of your saved favorites and folders. Press and hold on the folder of bookmarks and select Open in New Tabs , or alternatively, Open in Tab Group if you want them grouped.

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Disappearing Safari Tabs Fix

Disappearing Safari Tabs Fix 

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Table of Contents

Disappearing Safari tabs on iPhone/iPad

Disappearing Safari tabs on iPhone/iPad is a bug in iOS and iPadOS that causes one or more tabs opened in Safari to seemingly go away. If Safari tabs are disappearing on your iPhone/iPad there are a couple of easy fixes you can try.

Although every year Apple operating systems receive a major release and there are also many smaller updates throughout the year, some bugs seem to be more persistent than others and manage to remain in the specific operating system across multiple OS releases. Case in point, the disappearing Safari tabs on iPhone and iPad is a strange bug that has been around since iOS 13 and still seems to frustrate users to this day.

Though this isn’t a very commonly-encountered bug, when it takes place, it can be quite irritating, especially if it’s not a one-time occurrence but keeps happening again and again. The cause of this issue remains unknown and, though there are things you can do to mitigate it (we’ll tell you about them in a bit), there’s currently no permanent fix for this bug. Until Apple releases a patch that resolves this issue, you’d need to make do with the alternative fixes we’ll show you on this page.

Here, we should note that the problem with disappearing tabs could refer to two separate occurrences – one, in which your tab(s) get closed entirely, and another, in which the tab or tabs remain open but are hidden. It is unclear whether these two separate issues are related, but the fixes we’ve prepared for you should help resolve both of them.

Why do my Safari tabs keep disappearing?

It is currently not known what causes Safari tabs to keep disappearing, but in most cases, it’s likely a bug in iOS/iPadOS. The other possible cause for Safari tabs to keep disappearing is if the browser is set to automatically close inactive tabs.

There is a function that Safari has that, when enabled, will cause the browser to automatically close tabs that you haven’t viewed recently. You can even choose between three-time period options to determine how long time would need to pass before the inactive tabs get closed. However, this is only one possible reason for the tabs to close/get hidden. If this function of your Safari browser isn’t enabled, the likely cause for the tabs’ disappearance is probably a bug in iOS or iPadOS that Apple needs to address in its future patches for the respective operating system. 

Disappearing Safari tabs fix

The Disappearing Safari tabs fix methods include merging all Safari windows on iPad, revealing the Safari windows shelf, and searching through the recently closed tab’s history. Other potential fixes for disappearing Safari tabs are to disable the Auto-close tabs Safari function or to bookmark everything.

As already mentioned, the fixes suggested here aren’t a permanent solution to the problem. The developers at Apple are the only ones who can release a patch that would resolve this bug. Until then, you can hopefully circumvent the problem with either of the next temporary solutions/workarounds.

Merge All Windows (iPadOS only)

This should help you reveal any tabs that have become hidden but are still open. It won’t return any tabs that have already been closed.

  • Open the Safari browser on your iPad and press and hold the button with four squares in the top-right.

safari window gone

  • Look through all the tabs that are in the current Safari window and see if you can find the one you need.

Reveal the Safari windows shelf (iPadOS only)

This is another potential fix for revealing hidden tabs but not for restoring ones that have been closed.

  • Press and hold your finger on the Safari icon in the Dock or the Home Screen .
  • Select Show All Windows from the menu that should appear shortly.
  • Look through the shelf of open windows, switch between them, and see if you can find the needed tab. In some cases, doing this should reveal any tabs that have become hidden.

Search in the Recently Closed Tabs history

This fix is used to restore tabs that have been closed.

safari window gone

Disable the Auto-close tabs feature

As we mentioned in the article above, if this feature in your Safari browser is enabled, tabs you don’t visit will get closed after a while. If you don’t want this to keep happening in the future, you should check the settings of Safari and make sure that this function isn’t enabled.

  • Go to the Settings app and tap on Safari.

safari window gone

Bookmark the tabs you don’t want to lose

If nothing else you’ve tried has helped thus far, you can always resort to simply bookmarking everything you want to visit at a later time. Admittedly, it’s a rather clunky workaround, but one that can still let you quickly access content that you’d like to revisit. Here’s how to quickly bookmark stuff in Safari:

  • Once you open the browser, open the site/page that you may want to visit later.

safari window gone

  • If you want to save all currently open tabs as bookmarks, select instead the Add Bookmarks for * number of open tabs * .
  • To access the bookmarks you’ve saved, tap the Bookmark button and then select the saved page that you want to open again.

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macOS: Recover Lost Tabs and Windows in Safari

Jeff Butts

One of the things I would never, ever be aware of if I didn’t do tech support is that some users have a lot of Safari tabs open all the time. Like, a LOT of Safari tabs. For some folks, open tabs are apparently a way to remember to follow up on things or purchase items. I don’t personally understand the mindset of not bookmarking pages—I have a folder full of temporary bookmarks just for that purpose!—but whatever blows your skirt up, I always say.

In any case, if you’re one of the people who uses Safari’s tabs in this way (or if you just close stuff sometimes when you don’t mean to, like I do), then you’ve gotta know how to recover lost tabs if they get lost accidentally. The menu item for that is under “History” at the top of your screen:

History Menu

Recover Lost Tabs and Windows in Safari

So within that menu, you can see “Recently Closed,” which’ll show you tabs and windows that you may have dismissed accidentally. If you’ll note the item I’ve called out in red, that was one window with many tabs under it, and if I click the top item, it’ll open everything that was in that window. Or I could click any single item to reopen that one page.

Also under that menu are “Reopen Last Closed [Window/Tab],” which does just what it says, and “Reopen All Windows from Last Session,” which is handy if Safari didn’t restore your tabs after it was quit for whatever reason. All of these options may look a little different or say slightly different things depending on exactly how many tabs you closed, for example, but if you’re looking to get back what you lost, this “History” menu is the way to go.

Finally, there’s one more trick to know in Safari, and though it seems obvious, I think it’s something most people don’t think about—if all you want is to undo accidentally closing a tab right after you did it, you’d just press Command-Z like you would anywhere else to undo your last action. It’s the shortcut for Edit> Undo Close Tab .

Undo Close Tab

You can also press this shortcut multiple times to get back several tabs if you went on a closing frenzy and then came to your senses.

For you non-Safari users: Chrome and Firefox have very similar options to these, and in both cases, those choices are also listed under the program’s “History” menu. So, you know, whatever browser you use, you can now rest assured that you could get your tabs back if you needed to. Though no matter which is your preferred browser, if I sit at your computer and you do have fifty tabs open at once, I may just silently judge you a bit.

Or a lot. I ain’t sayin’.

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iPhone   Why do all safari tabs just sometimes disappear and are gone?

  • Thread starter tivoboy
  • Start date Feb 15, 2020
  • Sort by reaction score
  • iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
  • iOS and iPadOS
  • Older iOS Versions

macrumors newbie

  • Aug 1, 2020

I have had this problem too. My work around is that I use history to find & restore most tabs (yes it’s tedious) then I make a ‘save all tabs’ bookmark. I try to remember to redo that occasionally As a backup & I name the folder with the date. If you tap & hold on the multi bookmark icon there is an option to open them all. It’s not perfect but it gets me back most of what I’ve Lost.  

  • Oct 3, 2020

Still happening on IOS14, not only on my iPad Pro 12,9 2nd gen but also on mother’s-in-law ipad 5th gen so she is loosing 20-30 tabs worth of recipes each time... iPhone X with 300+ tabs open for 12+ months now as a test, rock steady, never lost a single tab... Firefox now selected as the default browser, thank you Apple...  

Contented

  • Oct 25, 2020

I was reading down the answers, a few weeks late for many, trying various things having frustratingly again found several tens of pages have disappeared when they were showing just a minute before. Thanks for the Show all windows tip someone gave but for me that’s only part A. Part B was to note the titles above the various windows displayed - one said that seven widows were included then opening that window, pressed and held the copy symbol (top right) and clicked merge all windows to find my lost windows appeared. In passing, I think the maximum number of open windows allowed is 36.  

bmac89

macrumors 65816

  • Oct 26, 2020

I have had many tabs spontaneously disappear over the past few versions of iOS. Not temporarily or invisible glitch but completely disappear with no way to get them back. For me this started back in iOS 11. Thankfully this does not occur anywhere near as much since updating to 13. However, as well as spontaneously disappearing tabs for no apparent reason, I have found that shortly after merging all safari windows in iPadOS 13 that all the tabs from every window except the current one disappear - again with no way of getting them back. So now I never use the merge all windows feature which is a big shame!  

macrumors member

  • Nov 13, 2020

Looks like Apple is not going to fix this. What browser is the most compatible with Safari and will open web sites as desktop not Mobile and does not have this problem. I too have the disappearing tabs issue on my iPad Pro. Firefox? Chrome? Edge? ...  

macrumors 68040

  • Nov 16, 2020

JESUS f...!..... I CAN’T believe this is STILL happening... I’ve been reading the posts Here and been SOOO careful when clsoing windows and swiping up when closing arbitrarily opened safari windows and yet, AND YET, now with more Thant 400+ open tabs that I’ve been KEEPING and READINg through having done NOTHING unusual, just opening a tab, opening a couple more, realizing that it was a NEW WINDOW, NOT HAVING CLOSED THAT WINDOW or ANY WINDOW at all, ALL WINDOWS and TABS from the last 3-4 months ARE GONE!!!!! Just GONE... this is so f...in ANNOYING APPLE!.. as if i didn’t have ENOUGH in my life to worry and think about now... WTF. Just FIX THIS S..T! Apple, either create some way to create a snapshot or save tabs this ISNT add all to reading list (who even USES that!) or don’t call this a browser.  

tivoboy said: JESUS f...!..... I CAN’T believe this is STILL happening... I’ve been reading the posts Here and been SOOO careful when clsoing windows and swiping up when closing arbitrarily opened safari windows and yet, AND YET, now with more Thant 400+ open tabs that I’ve been KEEPING and READINg through having done NOTHING unusual, just opening a tab, opening a couple more, realizing that it was a NEW WINDOW, NOT HAVING CLOSED THAT WINDOW or ANY WINDOW at all, ALL WINDOWS and TABS from the last 3-4 months ARE GONE!!!!! Just GONE... this is so f...in ANNOYING APPLE!.. as if i didn’t have ENOUGH in my life to worry and think about now... WTF. Just FIX THIS S..T! Apple, either create some way to create a snapshot or save tabs this ISNT add all to reading list (who even USES that!) or don’t call this a browser. Click to expand...
bmac89 said: It sure is incredibly frustrating! It is almost like Apple doesn’t even care and providing third party default apps is there ‘do nothing’ solution. What ever you do... do NOT “merge all windows” as this always causes my tabs in all my windows except one to disappear. I know it isn’t the only cause of disappearing tabs, but it is the only one that I know has a particular trigger. Really not satisfactory, but when I remember... I do a bookmark all tabs and add them to folders. Sometimes I do a quick screen recording if I can easily distinguish what tabs are open. It can be hard to believe Apple is the most valuable company in the world and yet they seem to make a habit of breaking apps which work and then seemingly not capable of acknowledging or fixing these major bugs. I really hope this will be fixed before iPadOS 20 but I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t. Click to expand...
tivoboy said: Thanks, but I NEVER merge all windows and in ios safari there is really no place to bookmark all tabs? I really wish there was, but until apple adds that feature, we’re SOL Click to expand...
bmac89 said: Actually you can bookmark all tabs in iOS and iPadOS. Simply long press on the bookmark button and it gives you the option to add bookmark, add bookmarks for x tabs, add to reading list. Click to expand...
tivoboy said: Holy mother of OGD when did THAT appear? Click to expand...
  • Dec 30, 2020

Just sayin...

Macrumors 6502.

  • Jan 7, 2021

Just found this thread after having at least 20 tabs wiped out for the nth time on my 2nd gen 12.9” iPad Pro running iOS 14.3. Finally got sick enough of this repetitive occurrence that I took the time to search - and found out that: 1). Others have been experiencing this issue, and 2). There is no fix other than switching to another browser (i.e. Firefox or Chrome) I’ve just downloaded Firefox.  

  • Jan 19, 2021

You can find them again by holding the ‘+’ and all the tabs are there, if you click on them they all open up as individual tabs. So they’re not lost completely...  

imaphysicist

  • Jan 27, 2021

I am afraid the problem is worse than reported on this thread. Safari can keep multiple sets of hidden tabs, and they cannot always be accessed by double-clicking the home button. I discovered this when I hit the limit of 500 tabs when my window only showed about 20. I found that I could switch to a different set of tabs by starting to type the site of one of the missing tabs; Safari will offer "Top Hits" and below this "Switch to Tab". Switch to the missing tab and now I have one of the missing sets of tabs. Currently on my iPad when I double-click the home button I can see three Safari windows, each with a different set of tabs. There must be more hidden if the total is near 500.  

  • Jan 29, 2021

this does continue to be a problem, but with some of the added functionality in Safari I can manage it better.. saving all tabs as a bookmark folder works well, so I freqeunctly save a backup. Then, often what I do now is close ALL tabs, after saving a backup and purge Safari cached data.. reboot, and then go to the folder where I saved all the tabs and open ALL tabs Anew.. you’ll get a pop up that says, “are you sure you want to open all 398 tabs”.. but go ahead. I’ve tried this with up to about 425, but 453 has failed, so I don’t know where the limit is. It might also NOT be a tab limit but what is IN the tabs that somehow overwhelms RAM. Any, the availability of these functions makes it LESS annoying that yes it can still just crack the bed unexpectedly. And it works in Private tabs as well, although whatever is saved is in the open in the bookmarks folder so user beware.  

macrumors regular

  • Feb 1, 2021

This seems to happen several times a year. To great frustration, when you,leave some tabs open for reference later on. I have lost all my tabs a few times with an OS update and then randomly for no apparent reason. It just happened to my wife, after she tried to closed an accidental split screen. Closed Safari. All tabs gone. Latest iOS 14.x Shame on Apple for not fixing whatever bug(s) in this regard.  

  • Feb 9, 2021

My wife had the same issue on her iPad running 14.4. All of her tabs disappeared after an accidental split screen session. After a lot tinkering here is what I learned: Only one window would occupy the screen at once. No previous tabs were visible and they were not in the tab history. When I tried to open a new tab, the current tab would slide off the screen to the left and the new screen would open with no evidence of the previous screen showing on the open screen (aka, no tab). A quick check of the Safari settings showed that SHOW TABS BAR was selected as was CLOSE TABS MANUALLY. So I used my solution to every computer problem I ever have, I turned the iPad off for 3-4 minutes and restarted it. Still no tabs. So I checked the settings again only to learn the show tabs bar was now deselected . I turned it back on and was able to add tabs again. Not sure what happened to the previously open tabs but at least we can rebuild! I hope this works for others. Good luck.  

martinlk

  • Apr 17, 2021
  • Have a few tabs open.
  • Hold down on a link and tap on Open in New Window.
  • Immediately close the new window (drag it off to the side).
  • Force quit Safari.
  • Reopen Safari... and all your tabs except the frontmost one are now gone.
  • Apr 29, 2021
tivoboy said: I’ve had this issue a couple times, and can’t figure out what the common element is, but sometimes (often after for some reason I have either opened in split screen, or put a safari window inadvertently in the side slide out), but then a window with MANY tabs will just be done. Can’t find it anywhere, all I have left is the one window with one tab, useless. I can’t figure out anyway to get BACK the window I had open with what is often 100+ tabs that I WANTED to save. Is there A) any way to find these again (other than going through all history) B) any way to stop this behavior from happening? Click to expand...

I may have solved my problem with Safari crashes on the iPad. I went to Settings -> Safari, then scrolled down to near the bottom and selected "Clear History and Website Data". Ever since I did this over a week ago, I haven't had a single Safari crash, where previously, it crashed every couple days. Cautiously optimistic here... 2021-05-02 update: Nope. Safari just crashed again and I lost all my tabs…again.  

  • May 2, 2021
Tumen said: I just stumbled upon a possible solution for when this happens. I held down the double sheet of paper icon in the top right corner of the safari screen. Several options appeared. One is to “merge all tabs” or merge all something. When I selected that option all 125 tabs reappeared. Now when I hold the icon down I don’t receive that option and can’t say for sure what it said other than ‘merge all.....” Up until now, once I lost all tabs they were gone forever. I hope this helps. Click to expand...
  • Nov 30, 2021

Hi I usually suffered from this problem in the past multiple times. I had nearly maxed tabs, and then suddenly gone. Normally all I had to do was close the Safari window and wait a minute or two. It normally worked in the past. There was this one instance it didn't seem to work, as in the safari homepage twice in a row, but I just waited longer, and my tabs came back. And now I'm facing a similar problem. I suffered a second blank page, and just like last time, I waited much longer, but my tabs are still gone. So I closed the window, and waited half an hour. Still no result. Can someone here explain how I work these methods for any attempt at getting my tabs back?  

Control which windows Safari reopens on Mac

Each time Safari opens, it can reopen windows and tabs from the last session, or it can reopen one or more other windows or tabs.

Check settings

When Safari opens, it might automatically restore the same windows or tabs that were open when you last quit Safari.

If you want to change this behavior, take either of these steps:

To prevent windows from reopening the next time you open Safari, press and hold the Shift key while opening Safari.

To prevent windows from reopening every time you open Safari, use the system setting “Close windows when quitting an app” .

After you configure the system setting, check Safari settings as well:

From the menu bar in Safari, choose Safari > Settings (or Preferences).

In the General pane, choose a setting from the “Safari opens with” menu.

If you set Safari to open with a new window, use the “New windows open with” menu to define which window or tabs Safari should reopen.

If Safari keeps reopening other windows

After checking your settings, if Safari keeps reopening one or more unwanted windows or tabs, or keeps changing the search engine, a phishing site may have tricked you into installing unknown or suspicious software. If you think you might have malware or adware on your Mac:

Update macOS on your Mac . If it's already up to date, restart your Mac. macOS includes a built-in tool that removes known malware when you restart.

Remove any unknown or suspicious apps and Safari extensions .

Learn how to block pop-up ads and windows .

Remove any unknown or suspicious system configuration profiles, even if the profile doesn't seem related to the unwanted windows. However, if your Mac belongs to a school or other organization, check with its system administrator before removing a necessary profile.

macOS Ventura 13 or later: Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, click Privacy & Security in the sidebar, then scroll down and click Profiles on the right. To remove a profile, select it and click the remove button (–) below the list of profiles, then restart your Mac.

Earlier versions of macOS: Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Profiles. To remove a profile, select it and click the remove button (–) below the list of profiles, then restart your Mac.

safari window gone

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How to fix: Missing window of Safari application

thumb

Recently I faced with a strange problem while using Safari on my MacBook Pro with macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 and then with macOS Big Sur 11.1. For some reason I could not open the Safari window. The top bar menu of Safari is there and the items are can be selected and pressed, but nothing happens. In this article I will show you how to fix this problem in 3 seconds. Let’s begin.

Several months ago I upgraded macOS on my MacBook Pro from macOS Catalina (version 10.15) to Big Sur (version 11.0.1). After upgrading macOS, Safari (version 14.0.1) started to work strange. At some point after collapsing the Safari window, it stopped opening and did not react to my clicking on Safari icon in the Dock. Clicking on the top bar menu of Safari opens the drop-down list, but when clicking on any of the items in the drop-down list nothing happened. I suppose it is a glitch in the application, sometimes such things can happens.

Note! Later this error happened after updating to Big Sur (version 11.1) and Safari (version 14.0.2).

The first thing to do to “fix any bug” is reload the application. And you are lucky if it works :) because it can’t always help. In this case, I was lucky and reloading the Safari application fixed the bug for me. But reloading closes all application windows and tabs, so therefore, if it is important for you to save the open links before restarting, follow the instructions below.

Let’s begin

The solution to this problem is a really simple process. For this we need to do 2 simple steps. Now let’s get started :)

Point the mouse cursor on Safari application icon, press with two fingers on the mouse and in the drop-down window you see a list of windows Safari that you are used before rolled.

To restart the application with the loss of open windows and tabs, click on Quit . After reload of the Safari application the bug will fixed.

How to fix: Missing window of Safari application

Without loss of open windows and tabs, click on one of the open windows at the top in the list or click on Show All Windows . Now you have access to your safari windows.

How to fix: Missing window of Safari application

Now you have access to your Safari windows, but bug still not fixed. You can copy all links, for example in Notes, restart Safari click on Quit and open all links again. It may not be very convenient, but we will not lose important links and bug will fixed :)

How to fix: Missing window of Safari application

That’s it, you’re done! The Safari application is now working again. So simple isn’t it?

:smiley:

Thanks for reading!

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Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Jarmaracark

In Safari, my window disappears to the right

I don't know if I'm hitting the wrong keys, but every so often, the window in Safari 5.13 in MacPro OS X Lion 10.7.3 just whooshes off to the right of the screen. It is almos tthe same as if I were to click on the yellow button and it were to go to the bottom, but I'm not clicking on the yellow, and it goes to the right side of the screen.

I cannot find this. I can still have the menu bar on top, but NO screen.

I also find that sometimes a window just becomes unresponsive. I can't move down the visible screen. When I click on things, nothing happens. I can't close the window. I try other tabs and can see other tabs. But my only choice ends up being closing Safari.

Wasn't this the reason I migrated to a Mac from PC? Ease of use, lack of bugs and intuitiveness?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.3), Safari

Posted on Mar 21, 2012 5:13 PM

AndreainTO

Posted on Aug 7, 2017 5:29 PM

So I go to Hot Corners, app window and there are 4 choices and which one do I make? I find your instructions obscure and it's not clear on the app window what it means.

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Aug 7, 2017 5:29 PM in response to Zu ViNO

4cpukid

Mar 21, 2012 5:48 PM in response to Jarmaracark

Hi Rick\'s Escaping NJ, you seem to be experiancing a key feature of Mac OS X Lion... Full screen apps. Because you posted in the MacBook Pro section I am assuming you have a MacBook Pro or some other MacBook... If you swipe four fingers to the right you should see your missing Safari window.... To put an app in fullscreen mode their is a button in teh top right of the window (looks like 2 arrows seperating). You can also double check this by swiping four fingers up... At the top of the window you should see your dashboard (right) your main desktop and if Safari is in fullscreen mode a third box labeled Safari. - Good Luck; Hope This Helps 🙂 - Stephen C.

BretEllis

Apr 27, 2012 1:31 AM in response to 4cpukid

I seem to have the same problem. not sure how it started as my wife was using my mac at the time but now the situation is as follows:

When I hit safari icon it switches on (I can see the little light dot underneath the icon and after right click I can see names of windows that are opened) however I can only see the Safari menu at the top but no window. If I scroll to the right or left to different desktops it's not there, the same goes if I double tap to see the Mission Control mode it's not there...

I so far figured out that once the Safari menu is visible on top of the screen I can go to View>Enter Full Screen and then Safari will come back into the full screen mode but once I unclick the full screen button in right top corner the whole window just swoops into the right top corner and it's nowhere to be found again.

I have rebooted and it's still the same - I can only get the full screen mode or none. it's very weird. Anyone's got any suggestions?

MacBG

Aug 5, 2012 3:18 AM in response to BretEllis

I have exactly the same problem BretEllis described above. For some reason, my Safari screens disappear to the right, only to come back when going to Full Screen through the Safari Menu bar which appears at the top when pointing the cursor there. Have tried all I can think off. In the past months on some occassions the problem had disappeared only to come back later. I use a 2011 Mac Mini with OSX Lion. Anybody know Why?

Aug 5, 2012 6:34 AM in response to MacBG

The reason for my issue was a little silly but maybe you are suffering from the same problem, In my case I use a second display - a projector, which was connected at the time but switched off yet the OS for some reason treated it as is it was live and that's where the window was disappearing to, once I switched my projector on I could see the safari window and drag it back into my main mac display. It's quite obvious it's just I wasn't using the projector too much at the time so I haven't thought about it straight away.

If you have any other display device connected it might be the same issue in which case I hope this helps.

Aug 15, 2012 1:42 PM in response to BretEllis

Hi BretEllis,

Sorry for my late response and thanks for your response, i was on vacation.

Your explanation seems very logical as I have other Macs in the network and share displays.... It never occured to me...

I appreciate your help, thanks!

Aug 16, 2012 10:23 AM in response to MacBG

That's cool, glad to have helped!

Jonathan Milenko

Apr 9, 2013 1:11 PM in response to Jarmaracark

That just happened to me at an Apple Store. I really needed that window back and asked one of the floor staff for help. Unfortunately, he was unfamiliar with this and couldn't help me.

Apr 10, 2013 10:58 AM in response to Jonathan Milenko

Yeah I am using a MBP for work now and it happens to me all the time when I disconnect the external display all windows are messed up and generally it's a pain in the a** and definitelly an area where some work on the OSX is needed.

As to Apple Store employees not knowing why this happens - well maybe they use PC's... 😉

Zu ViNO

Apr 12, 2014 2:10 PM in response to Jarmaracark

SYSTEM PREFERENCES >>>MISSION CONTROL>>>>HOT CORNERS>>>>APP WINDOW

Geraldine2603

Mar 25, 2015 11:23 PM in response to MacBG

I have the same problem on my iPad and can't work out how to fix it, can't access any website as the area to type in is off to the left of me screen!!!

SmokingChicken

Jul 22, 2015 6:32 PM in response to Zu ViNO

Great help. Thanks!

nealonzo

Mar 13, 2016 2:05 PM in response to Zu ViNO

Thank you so much, this worked! I even took it to the Apple Store and they couldn't help; thanks!

CharlieCross

Aug 21, 2016 10:57 AM in response to Zu ViNO

Yes, great thanks. I was trying to find the missing window using Mission Control and I selected App Window, as you indicated. That brought up the window in Mission Control.

Guiding Tech

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6 Ways to Fix Safari Disappeared from iPhone Home Screen

First things first. You cannot uninstall the Safari browser from your iPhone. If the Safari icon is missing on your iPhone, there could be other reasons for that. For instance, the Safari icon might be inside a folder, on a hidden home screen, or you might have accidentally deleted it from the home screen . Another possibility is that Safari might be turned off in screen time restrictions. Whatever the reason, this post shall help you in fixing Safari disappeared from your iPhone.

safari window gone

Safari is the default browser on iPhones . So one can imagine the fright if a person can’t find Safari on iPhone. But don’t worry, we are here to help you in getting the disappeared Safari icon back on your iPhone. Let’s get started.

Note: Before you try the below-mentioned solutions, please restart your iPhone once.

1. Look for Safari in Folders

If the Safari icon has gone missing from the iPhone home screen, start by looking inside the home screen folders. You might have accidentally moved Safari from the main page to a folder. You should also swipe right or left inside the folders to check all the apps. If you find Safari inside a folder, long-press it and drag it to the home screen.

safari window gone

2. Use Search to Find and Add Safari to Home Screen

iPhones come with the spotlight feature that lets you find apps, contacts, settings, etc. You can use it to find and add the disappeared Safari icon back to the home screen on your iPhone.

Step 1: Go to the home screen of your iPhone and swipe down to open search.

Step 2: Type Safari. The Safari icon should show up in the search results.

Step 3: Touch and hold the Safari icon and drag it upwards slightly to go to the home screen. Lift your finger from the Safari icon to place it on the home screen.

safari window gone

Tip: If you are unable to find apps using Spotlight search, know how to fix search not working on iPhone .

3. Get Safari Back on iPhone Home Screen Using App Library

If you accidentally removed Safari from the home screen, another way to look for the lost Safari icon is from the App Library on your iPhone. For the unaware, the App Library is the home screen page that shows all your installed apps and groups them in folders in one place.

Follow these steps to put Safari back on the home screen using App Library:

Step 1: From your iPhone’s home screen, swipe left multiple times to go to the last screen, which should look like this:

iPhone App Library

Step 2 : Tap on the search bar at the top. If you don’t see the search bar, slightly swipe down.

safari window gone

Step 3: Type Safari in the search bar. The Safari icon will appear in the search results. Touch and hold it and select ‘Add to Home Screen’ from the menu.

Note : If the ‘Add to Home Screen’ option is missing, touch and hold the Safari icon and drag it upwards to go to the home screen. Leave the Safari icon on the home screen and it should be added back on the home screen.

iPhone App Library Search Safari

4. Unhide Home Screen Page

If the Safari icon has gone missing along with other app icons, there are chances that you might have hidden a home screen page .

To unhide a home screen page on your iPhone, follow these steps:

Step 1: On your iPhone’s home screen, touch and hold the page dots at the bottom until you see the thumbnails of your home screen.

Step 2: The pages that have checkmarks under them are enabled. Look for the page having the Safari browser and tap on the selection circle under it to enable it.

safari window gone

That’s it. No, go to your phone’s home screen and you should see the Safari icon.

5. Remove Screen Time Restrictions from iPhone

If you can’t find Safari on your iPhone using the above methods, you must check and remove screen time restrictions from the Safari app. To do so, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Settings on your iPhone.

Step 2: Go to Screen Time followed by ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’.

safari window gone

Step 3: Tap on Allowed Apps.

safari window gone

Note: On earlier iOS versions, you will have to go to Screen time > Content Privacy & Restrictions > Content Privacy > Allowed Apps.

Step 4: Turn off the toggle next to Safari. It should turn green.

safari window gone

That’s it. Go to your home screen and you should see the Safari app. If the Safari icon is missing, use the above methods to put it back on the home screen.

Tip: If Screen Time is turned off on your iPhone but the Safari icon is still missing, you should try turning Screen Time on. Then, follow the above steps to turn Safari off and on. Finally, turn off Safari time.

6. Reset Home Screen Layout

Lastly, you should try the final step of resetting the home screen layout of your iPhone. Doing so will delete folders that you have created on the home screen and put all the pre-installed Apple apps including Safari at their original location. This will help in restoring Safari back to the home screen.

Note : Your apps or files will not be deleted by resetting Home Screen layout.

To reset the home screen layout, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout.

iPhone Reset

Once reset, go back to the home screen and you should see the Safari icon happily sitting over there. If Safari doesn’t work for some reason, learn how to fix Safari not working on your iPhone.

FAQs About Safari on Home Screen

First, add the Safari app icon to the home screen. Then, long press the Safari icon and drag it towards the dock. Please note the dock can have only 4 icons at a time. You will have to remove one of the icons from the dock to add Safari to it.

Open the website in Safari browser. Tap on the Share icon and select ‘Add to Home Screen’ from the share sheet.

The Best of Safari

I hope you were able to find and add the disappeared Safari icon back to the home screen on your iPhone. Once it’s back, learn how to request desktop sites and share tab groups in Safari. Also, know how to customize the start page on Safari .

Last updated on 31 July, 2023

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

safari window gone

DID YOU KNOW

safari window gone

Mehvish Mushtaq is a computer engineer by degree. Her love for Android and gadgets made her develop the first Android app for Kashmir. Known as Dial Kashmir, she won the prestigious Nari Shakti award from the President of India for the same. She has been writing about technology for 6+ years and her favorite verticals include how-to guides, explainers, tips and tricks for Android, iOS/iPadOS, social media, and web apps. You can also find her posts on MakeTechEasier, TechWiser, and NerdsChalk.

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Last updated: September 14, 2023

Expert verified

Lost your Safari bookmarks on Mac and feel like you’re sailing through the internet without a compass? Bookmarks might disappear for various reasons—system updates, glitches, or a click gone wrong—but they’re not always lost for good.

This guide is your lifeboat, offering you the best ways to restore those missing landmarks and get you back on course. From quick fixes to advanced recovery techniques, I’ve got you covered and by the end of this guide you’ll know how to restore Safari bookmarks disappeared on Mac.

Why Safari Bookmarks Disappeared on Mac?

If your Safari bookmarks have disappeared on your Mac, it can be disconcerting, but there are several reasons why this could happen. Here are some common culprits:

  • 🆙 Software Update : Sometimes, after a macOS or Safari update, bookmarks may go missing temporarily or be moved to a different location.
  • ☁️ iCloud Sync Issues : If iCloud is not syncing properly between your devices, bookmarks could disappear or not show up where you expect them.
  • ❌ Accidental Deletion : You may have accidentally deleted bookmarks or folders containing bookmarks.
  • 💾 Corrupt Profile : If your Safari profile is corrupt, bookmarks and other settings might not load correctly.
  • 💥 System Crash : A sudden shutdown or system failure could result in lost data, including bookmarks.
  • 🛡️ Third-party Software : Security software or system cleanup utilities could mistakenly remove bookmarks.
  • 🤔 User Error : Sometimes the bookmarks might be moved to a different folder within Safari and are not actually deleted.
  • 👥 Multiple Accounts : If you have multiple user accounts on your Mac, make sure you are logged into the correct one where your bookmarks were saved.
  • 🔄 Browser Reset : Resetting Safari to its default settings will erase all your bookmarks.

How to Restore Safari Bookmarks Disappeared on Mac

In the digital realm, data rarely disappears without a trace. More often than not, there’s an underlying cause, and with the right strategies, you can retrieve what’s been lost.

I composed this section to provide you with clear and effective methods to restore Safari bookmarks disappeared on Mac, moving from simpler solutions to more advanced measures.

1. Quit Safari and Restart

Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective. Restarting Safari can resolve minor glitches that might be preventing your bookmarks from displaying properly. Quitting and restarting Safari could be all it takes to refresh the browser and bring your missing bookmarks back to life.

Here’s how to quit Safari and restart it:

  • Go to Safari in the menu bar and choose Quit Safari , or simply press Command ⌘ + Q .

click safari and select quit safari

  • Wait for a few seconds and relaunch the Safari app from your Dock.

open safari on your mac

  • Once Safari opens, check to see if your bookmarks have reappeared.

2. Show Safari Bookmarks

Believe it or not, sometimes your bookmarks aren’t actually missing; they’re just hidden from view. Checking the visibility settings of your bookmarks in Safari can often reveal them once again.

Here’s how to show Safari bookmarks on your Mac:

  • If it’s not already open, launch Safari by clicking its icon in the Dock or using Spotlight ( Command ⌘ + Space and type Safari ).
  • In Safari, go to the menu bar at the top of the screen, click Bookmarks , and then select Show Bookmarks .

click bookmarks and select show bookmarks

  • This will open your Bookmarks list in the left sidebar.

If your bookmarks magically reappear, you’re all set! If not, it’s time to dig deeper with additional troubleshooting steps.

3. Check Your Internet Connection

If your bookmarks are synced via iCloud, an unstable, disconnected, or slow internet connection on Mac can prevent them from appearing. Ensuring you have a solid connection can sometimes resolve the issue instantly.

Here’s how to check your internet connection on Mac:

  • Make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi or plugged into an Ethernet cable. Look for the Wi-Fi symbol at the top-right corner of your screen.

click the wi fi icon in the menu bar

  • Alternatively, go to System Settings > Network to confirm.

click network from side bar

  • Open a new Safari window and try navigating to a website. If you can’t access the internet, your connection might be the issue.
  • If you’re experiencing connection problems, try restarting your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds and then plugging it back in.
  • Once your router restarts, reconnect your Mac to the network and try opening Safari again to see if your bookmarks are back.

4. Restart Your Mac

Sometimes the best way to resolve minor software glitches or system hiccups is a good old-fashioned restart. This can often refresh the system files and services that Safari relies on for displaying your bookmarks.

Here’s how to restart your Mac:

  • Before restarting, make sure to save any open documents or projects to prevent data loss.
  • Click the Apple logo located in the top-left corner of your screen.
  • From the dropdown menu, choose Restart .

click the apple icon and select restart

  • Allow your Mac to fully shut down and restart.
  • Once your Mac has rebooted, launch Safari to check if your bookmarks have reappeared.

5. Turn Off iCloud Bookmarks and Turn It Back On

If your bookmarks are synced via iCloud, toggling the iCloud bookmarks option can refresh the sync and possibly bring back your missing bookmarks. Here’s how to turn off iCloud bookmarks and turn it back on:

  • Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings .

click the apple icon and select system settings

  • Click the Apple ID at the top-right corner and select iCloud from the sidebar.

click icloud in apple id

  • In the Apps Using iCloud section, scroll down to find Safari and toggle it off. Confirm any prompts to turn off Safari bookmark syncing.

toggle off safari syncing to icloud

  • Give it a few seconds to process. This will remove the bookmarks from your Mac but keep them in iCloud.
  • Then, toggle on the Safari switch in the iCloud settings to turn bookmark syncing back on.

toggle on safari syncing to icloud

  • Open Safari and wait a few minutes for iCloud to sync your bookmarks back into the browser.

6. Check Your Account Details

Sometimes the issue of missing bookmarks can be tied to the Apple ID you’re using. If you have multiple Apple IDs or recently changed your account details, your bookmarks may not sync correctly.

Here’s how to check your Apple ID details on Mac:

  • Click the Apple menu and select System Settings .
  • Click Apple ID at the top-right corner to view your account details.

click the apple logo system settings apple id

  • Make sure the Apple ID displayed is the one you usually use for iCloud and syncing bookmarks.
  • If there’s a discrepancy, consider signing out and signing back in with the correct Apple ID.

Make sure to backup your data on Mac before signing out.

  • Launch Safari and wait for a few minutes to see if your bookmarks sync back into your browser.

7. Restore From Bookmarks Library in Finder

If you’ve tried the easier methods with no success, you can look for backup files directly in your Mac’s Finder. Safari stores bookmark backups you can manually restore.

Follow these steps to restore your Safari bookmarks from the bookmarks library in Finder:

  • Make sure Safari is closed before you proceed. You can quit Safari by going to Safari in the menu bar and choosing Quit Safari , or simply press Command ⌘ + Q .
  • Click the Finder icon in your Dock.

click finder in your dock

  • With the Finder window open, click Go in the menu bar and hold down the Option ⌥ key. This will reveal the Library option; click on it.

click library under go in the context menu

  • Within the Library folder, find and open the Safari folder.

navigate to safari and move the folder to the bin

  • Search for files named Bookmarks.plist or any backups like Bookmarks-1.plist , Bookmarks-2.plist , etc.

delete all files except bookmarks plist file

  • Copy the most recent backup file and paste it into the same folder, renaming it to Bookmarks.plist if necessary.
  • Open Safari to see if your bookmarks have been restored.

8. Restore Safari Bookmarks From Back Up

Another definitive way to turn back the clock and restore Safari bookmarks disappeared on Mac is backups. Whether it’s a Time Machine backup or another form of saved state, restoring your Mac to a point where your bookmarks are intact is like hitting a digital “undo” button

Below, I’ll guide you through the steps to restore your Safari bookmarks from different types of backups.

a. Via Time Machine Back Up

Time Machine is a built-in backup feature of your Mac that can be a lifesaver when things go awry. If you have been regularly backing up your Mac with Time Machine, you can restore your Safari bookmarks to a point in time when they were still available.

Here’s how to restore deleted files on Mac using Time Machine , including Safari bookmarks:

  • If your Time Machine backups are stored on an external drive, make sure it’s connected to your Mac.
  • Quit Safari by pressing Command ⌘ + Q or selecting Quit Safari from the Safari menu to ensure the app is fully closed.

macbook pro command q

  • Click General and select Time Machine .

click on time machine

  • In the Time Machine window, use the timeline or arrows to go back to a date when your bookmarks were still present.
  • Navigate to your user Library folder by following this path:
  • Look for the Bookmarks.plist file and click the Restore button.
  • Time Machine will overwrite the current version with the selected backup.
  • Open Safari to see if your bookmarks have been successfully restored.

b. Via Automatic Back Up

Another approach to recover missing Safari bookmarks is to utilize the automatic backup feature if it is available. Here’s how to restore lost Safari bookmarks via automatic backup:

  • Click Go in the menu bar and hold down the Option ⌥ key. This will reveal the Library option; click on it.
  • Identify the file named AutomaticBookmarksBackup.html .
  • To simplify the restoration process, copy this HTML file and place it on your Desktop for easier access.
  • Launch the Safari browser and import the HTML backup file from the original Safari folder or your Desktop.

Be aware that this automatic backup might not include your most recently added bookmarks.

c. Via Manual Backup

If you’re among those who prefer the good old-fashioned way of manually backing up important files, this could be your ticket to restoring your missing Safari bookmarks. If you routinely save your Safari bookmarks as HTML files, restoring them will be a straightforward process. 

Follow these steps to restore Safari bookmarks from manual backup:

  • Launch Safari and click File in the menu bar.

open safari and click file in the menu bar

  • Hover your mouse over Import from and select Bookmarks HTML File from the submenu.

hover your mouse over import from and select bookmarks html file

  • Locate the HTML backup you’ve previously created and select it. Then click Import .

Note that the Bookmarks HTML File import option actually accommodates both HTML and PLIST bookmark files.

9. Restore Safari Bookmarks From iCloud

iCloud provides a useful feature for restoring files, data, and settings, including Safari bookmarks. If you’ve been using iCloud to sync your bookmarks, you can try restoring them directly from iCloud’s website.

Here’s how to restore Safari bookmarks via iCloud:

  • Make sure Safari is closed to prevent any syncing conflicts. Quit the application by pressing Command ⌘ + Q or choosing Quit Safari from the Safari menu.
  • Open a different browser and navigate to www.icloud.com and click the Sign In button.

open icloud website and click the sign in button

  • Sign in using your Apple ID credentials or Touch ID.

sign in to icloud using your apple id or touch id

  • Once logged in, click the grid-like icon in the top-right corner next to your account picture.

click the grid like icon in icloud

  • Select Data Recovery from the context menu.

select data recovery from the menu

  • Click Restore Bookmarks in the new Data Recovery.

click restore bookmarks in icloud

  • If you have bookmarks backed up on your iCloud, a window will pop up displaying a list of bookmarks backup points.
  • Choose the most recent backup where you know your bookmarks were still intact.
  • Click Restore next to the chosen backup point. Confirm any prompts that appear.
  • After the restoration process is complete, open Safari to check if your bookmarks have been successfully restored.

10. By Using Third-Party Recovery Software

When traditional methods don’t yield the desired results, reputable third-party recovery software can serve as your safety net for restoring lost Safari bookmarks. These specialized programs are engineered to recover a variety of lost or deleted files, including browser bookmarks.

Third-party recovery software can be a powerful tool in your data recovery arsenal, but use it as a last resort and always from reputable sources.

Here are a few reputable third-party options for restoring Safari bookmarks:

  • Disk Drill : Known for its user-friendly interface and robust recovery features, Disk Drill is a popular choice for macOS users.
  • EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard : This software offers both quick and deep scans, allowing you to tailor the recovery process to your needs.
  • Stellar Data Recovery : Trusted by many, Stellar offers advanced features like disk imaging for severe data loss situations.
  • Wondershare Recoverit : With a high recovery rate, this software is another reliable option for Mac users.
  • iBoysoft Data Recovery : This is a simpler tool that offers a straightforward recovery process, ideal for users who may not be as tech-savvy.

Where Are Safari Bookmarks Stored on Mac?

Safari bookmarks are stored in a file called Bookmarks.plist within the Safari folder inside your user Library folder. To navigate to this folder manually, you can follow these steps:

  • In the menu bar at the top of your screen, click Go .
  • Holding down the Option ⌥ key will make the Library folder appear in the drop-down list.

macbook pro option key

  • Once you see Library , click on it to navigate to the Library folder.
  • Inside the Library folder, scroll down to find the Safari folder and open it.
  • In the Safari folder, you’ll find a file named Bookmarks.plist . This file contains all your Safari bookmarks.

Remember, editing or deleting this file will directly affect your Safari bookmarks, so proceed with caution. Always make sure to backup important data before making changes to system files.

Restore Safari Bookmarks on Mac

Losing your Safari bookmarks can be a frustrating experience, but as I’ve demonstrated, you have a variety of methods at your disposal to restore them. From the basic steps of restarting Safari and checking your internet connection to more advanced strategies like utilizing iCloud or third-party software, there’s likely a solution that suits your situation.

Here are a few more tips to enhance your Safari experience on Mac:

  • You should regularly delete Safari history on your Mac to prevent the browser from cluttering and slowing down.
  • If you don’t want Safari to keep track of your browser habits, go incognito on a Mac in Safari browser .
  • Some websites track your online activities, posing a risk to your personal information. Learn how to block websites on Safari on Mac to prevent shady websites from tracking you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to do if my icloud or safari bookmarks aren’t syncing.

If your iCloud or Safari bookmarks aren’t syncing, start by checking your internet connection to ensure it’s stable. Then, verify that you’re signed into the correct iCloud account on all devices. If issues persist, try disabling and re-enabling iCloud sync for Safari in your device settings. Finally, consider restarting your devices.

How do I export Safari bookmarks for safekeeping?

To export Safari bookmarks for safekeeping, open Safari and go to the menu bar at the top. Click File , then choose Export > Bookmarks . A dialog box will appear; select your desired location and file name. Click Save to complete the export. This will create an HTML file containing your bookmarks.

How can I recover deleted bookmarks if I don’t have a backup?

If you’ve deleted bookmarks and don’t have a backup, you can recover them by checking the Recently Closed option under the History menu in Safari. If that doesn’t work, consider using reputable third-party recovery software as a last resort.

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I'm Hashir, a tech journalist with a decade of experience. My work has been featured in some of the top tech publications like MakeUseOf and MakeTechEasier. I have a bachelor's degree in IT, a master's in cybersecurity, and extensive knowledge of Apple hardware, specifically MacBooks. As the senior writer at MacBook Journal, I write in depth guides that help you solve any issues you have with your mac and unbiased reviews that help you make the right buying decisions.

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Hi there! I'm Ojash, a tech journalist with over a decade of experience in the industry. I've had the privilege of contributing to some of the world's largest tech publications, making my mark as a respected Mac expert. My passion lies in exploring, using, and writing about MacBooks, and I enjoy sharing my expertise to help others make informed decisions and get the most out of their MacBook experience. Join me as we delve into the fascinating world of MacBooks together!

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How to Recover Lost Safari Bookmarks

Tom Nelson is an engineer, programmer, network manager, and computer network and systems designer who has written for Other World Computing,and others. Tom is also president of Coyote Moon, Inc., a Macintosh and Windows consulting firm.

What to Know

  • Restart Safari and see if bookmarks return.
  • Or, tap iCloud > Account Settings > Advanced > Restore Bookmarks . Choose the bookmarks to restore and tap Done .
  • Or, connect your Time Machine backup drive and use the Migration Assistant . Select the relevant backup and desired bookmarks.

You can easily restore missing bookmarks using the Apple iCloud service or Time Machine. Here's how.

How to Recover Safari Bookmarks with iCloud

There are a number of steps you can try to restore your lost Safari bookmarks. We list them below:

This method assumes you have iCloud turned on and you're using it to sync data across devices or to the cloud.

If you don’t have iCloud set up on your Mac, you can follow the instructions in our Setting up an iCloud Account on Your Mac guide. Be sure to select Safari as one of the items to sync via iCloud.

Restart Safari and/or your device and see if the bookmarks reappear. If they don't, continue on.

Go to icloud.com and log in with your credentials.

Open the drop-down menu next to your name in the top-right corner and choose Account Settings .

Scroll to the Advanced section and select Restore Bookmarks .

Choose the bookmarks you want to restore, then select Done .

Restart Safari if needed, then check to see if your bookmarks are back.

How to Restore Safari Bookmarks with Time Machine

Another common method of restoring Safari’s bookmarks utilizes Time Machine . This built-in backup feature comes with all Mac computers and lets you automatically back up all of your files to an external hard drive. You can use those backups to restore your missing Safari bookmarks and more.

Connect your Time Machine backup drive to your Mac and turn it on. Then turn on your Mac.

Open Utilities > Applications > Migration Assistant .

Select the option to transfer from a Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk . Then select Continue .

Select your Time Machine backup, then press Continue .

If you're asked to choose from a list of backups organized by date and time, choose one and select Continue .

Select the files you want to transfer, then hit Continue to begin the process.

Once the transfer finishes, restart your computer and log in.

The transfer process could take several hours to finish depending on the amount of information you're restoring.

Why Did Your Bookmarks Disappear?

One possible reason is a corrupted preference file, or .plist file, that Safari refused to load when it launched. Preference files store rules that tell your apps how they should work. They can become corrupted or broken over time thanks to app crashes, sudden power outages, hard drive corruption, and more.

Problems with .plist files are one of the Mac's Achilles' heels. They seem to be a weak point in how applications are structured. Thankfully, they're easily replaced, causing at most a bit of inconvenience.

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It's time for Apple to bring back Safari for Windows

Apple ended development of Safari for Windows in 2010, but it might be time for the browser to make a comeback.

The web has changed drastically over the past decade: web apps have become more common, algorithms now dictate how most people receive content, and billions more people are now connected globally. Google has also become more dominant in that time, and has occasionally used its position in the web ecosystem and browser market in harmful ways. There have been many ideas for how to keep Google's power in check, but here's mine: Apple should make its Safari web browser cross-platform again.

You might recall that the Safari web browser used to be available for Microsoft Windows , in addition to macOS (then known as Mac OS X) and later iPhone and iPad. Apple discontinued the Windows version of Safari many years ago, but bringing it back now could provide one of the best alternatives to browsers built with Google's Chromium engine.

The Windows experiment

Apple released the first version of the Safari web browser in January 2003, as part of Mac OS X 10.3 'Panther', following the end of Microsoft's five-year deal with Apple to keep Internet Explorer as the default web browser on Mac. Even though the web browser was new, the technology powering it was not — Apple used the KHTML rendering engine as a starting point to create Safari's WebKit engine.

The browser was initially exclusive to Mac, but when the first iPhone arrived in 2007, it also included Safari. The first version for Windows, Safari 3.0, was released that same year. However, the Windows version wasn't all that great . The initial release included a security vulnerability for arbitrary code execution, which was patched less than 48 hours later as Safari 3.0.1.

Safari screenshot

Safari also felt out of place on Windows. Apple used the same (awful) compatibility layer from iTunes for Windows with the Safari port , which re-implemented the Cocoa UI, Core Foundation, Core Graphics libraries on top of Windows — similar to using Wine to run Windows programs on Linux. The result was an application that worked, but didn't match the design or expected functionality of its host operating system.

Despite the early security issues and questionable software architecture, Safari for Windows was a decent web browser. Apple advertised it was "up to twice as fast" as Internet Explorer 7, and up to 1.6x the performance of Mozilla Firefox 2 (both supposedly tested on a Intel Core 2 Duo system with Windows XP and 1GB of RAM).

Apple continued to release new Safari versions for Mac and Windows, but when Safari 6.0 was released as part of Mac OS X Mountain Lion in 2012, a Windows version was missing. Apple later quietly removed the download links for Windows Safari, seemingly marking an end to the browser's existence on non-Apple platforms. The final version was Safari 5.1, released in 2010.

The comeback

Fast forward to 2022, and the web ecosystem is better in many ways, but also far from perfect. Web apps are more capable than ever before, mostly thanks to the accelerated development of new APIs in Google Chrome. However, Google now has significant influence over the course of web browsers — Opera and Microsoft dropped development of their own rendering engines to use the same Google's Chromium engine, while newer contenders like Brave and Vivaldi used Chromium from the start.

Web browsers based on Chromium have the ability to make changes to the browser interface and engine, so Google doesn't have complete control over how they work. Each step away from Google's upstream code makes adopting new changes to Chromium more time-consuming, though. That makes development more burdensome, and more crucially, it can lead to security patches in Chromium taking a long time to show up in some browsers. One example was Kiwi Browser for Android, which was stuck on Chrome 77 for over a year.

The web needs a balance of powers to remain an open platform

The web needs a balance of powers to remain an open platform, but there are now only two major web browsers not based on Chromium: Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari. Firefox uses its own Gecko engine, which has seen significant performance improvements in recent years. Safari still uses WebKit, and while much of Safari's popularity comes from it being the only real browser allowed on iOS and iPadOS, it has also become a proper competitor to Chrome in recent years. Apple bringing Safari to more platforms could pull back some market share from Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers.

Christian Schaefer pointed out in a blog post last year that Apple still supports the WebKit engine on Windows, mostly for embedded applications and Microsoft's Playright testing platform. Newer versions even dropped the iTunes-based monster of a compatibility layer, in favor of the cross-platform Cairo graphics library. However, these minimal builds of WebKit are only intended for site testing, and don't have common browser features like sync, tabs, or extensions.

Playwright WebKit on Windows screenshot

There are reasons beyond the health of the open web for Apple to port Safari to more platforms. There are millions of people that use an iPhone or iPad, but use Windows PCs instead of Mac computers. Keeping Safari exclusive to macOS might encourage some of those people to buy a Mac, but Safari on Windows (and other platforms) could also act as a loss leader that encourages future Apple hardware purchases — much like the original iTunes for Windows nearly two decades ago. This is also a strategy that worked for Google: Chromebook sales were helped by the popularity of the Chrome browser, which itself only made Chrome more popular.

Apple has also been more willing in recent years to bring its services and applications to other platforms, even in just a limited fashion. iCloud is available for Windows, the iCloud web apps work in most web browsers, FaceTime calls can now be joined via link from non-Apple devices, Apple Music has an Android app, and so on.

Safari for Windows could give Chromium browsers some much-needed competition, while also opening up a more connected experience for Apple devices. There are still plenty of reasons for Apple to not do it, but I'd certainly like to see it happen.

Safari's Hidden Picture-in-Picture Mode Is a Mac Game-Changer

This hidden MacOS feature lets you watch videos in a floating window while you browse the web.

safari window gone

You can watch videos while using different apps on your Mac.

Your Mac computer has many hidden multitasking tools built-in.  Hot corners make it easy to quickly run system actions with your mouse, while keyboard shortcuts  do the same, but with your keyboard, of course. Split screen lets you use multiple apps at once and  widgets let you keep an eye on weather, sports scores and more on your home screen.

There are just so many productivity features to discover on MacOS, and there's one in Safari you really need to know about.

Picture-in-Picture mode on Mac allows you to shrink any video you're watching in Safari, whether it's on YouTube or Twitch, and create a floating window you can move around your screen. That way, you can visit other websites and use other applications, while you continue to watch.

There are several ways to enable PiP, which I'll show you below.

PiP is one of the more underrated features on the Mac. Want to learn more about others? Check out these Command keyboard shortcuts on MacOS and the hidden Hello screensaver . You should also read about  10 Mac tips and tricks you probably didn't know about .

Safari's PiP button is hidden in the address bar

If a video is playing in Safari, go to the address bar at the top of the window, right-click the blue audio button to the right of the website URL in the address bar and click  Enter Picture in Picture . The video will then automatically move to a floating window.

Enter Picture in Picture Setting in Safari

You can also mute the tab and configure auto-play settings from here.

The floating window playing the video will appear above all other open applications, including Safari, and will snap into any of the four corners of your desktop. You can adjust the size by hovering the mouse over the window's borders and corners and then clicking and dragging to make it bigger or smaller. 

The window also has two buttons: One to pause/play the video and the other to snap the floating window back into the web browser. You can also just close the floating window with the X button on the top left.

Floating window playing video in Safari

The floating video window can be moved and resized across your desktop.

There are two other ways to enable Picture in Picture on MacOS

If you don't see the blue audio button in the address bar or have multiple videos playing in Safari, there are two other ways to use Picture in Picture.

The first is by clicking the PiP button in the video's playback controls. Not every video player will have the PiP button, so you're limited in use. The PiP button appears as two rectangles with an arrow pointing from one to the other, but you can also just hover your mouse over the various buttons to find the Open Picture in Picture mode option.

PiP button in YouTube

You'll find Picture in Picture between the AirPlay and Full Screen buttons on YouTube.

If you don't see a PiP button, you can right-click the video and see if you get an Enter Picture in Picture option. On YouTube, you have to right-click twice to get the correct menu, but you may only need to right-click once on other websites to find the PiP setting.

Right-click menu in YouTube that has Picture in Picture mode

You can also use this menu to enter full screen and show the video player's controls.

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COMMENTS

  1. iPadOS

    To recover your deleted/accidentally closed tabs, touch-and-hold (i.e., long touch) the "+" icon at top right - and the list of Recently Closed Tabs will appear. Starting at the top of the list, touch the link; the selected item will be restored to the current Safari window/instance in its own tab.

  2. How to Reopen Closed or Lost Tabs in Safari on Your ...

    Reopen your recently closed tabs from the menu bar on a Mac. Step 2. Check Your Other Safari Windows in iPadOS. The release of iPadOS introduced lots of iPad multitasking features, including the ability to open multiple windows of the same app.It's possible you didn't lose all your Safari tabs after updating to iPadOS, they just might be in a different app window.

  3. Why do all safari tabs just sometimes disappear and are gone?

    Settings > Safari > Tabs > Close Tabs = Manually. Ensure that you do not have it auto closing tabs after a day, week, month. normally I have really no performance or battery problem with even 450 tabs open. I know I WANT to get that down to much lower, but i'll have 400+ tabs open for many many months if not years.

  4. Safari tabs on iPad totally disappeared

    As outlined therein, this is a frequent area of confusion; seemingly lost tabs are often found "intact" within another Safari Window. The list of Recently Closed windows does not persist indefinitely. If the window was closed yesterday, then it's likely gone for good. If so, you should still be able to recover tabs from your Safari History.

  5. How to fix Safari tabs disappearing on iPad and iPhone

    Press and hold the Safari app icon. Tap Show All Windows. Now, tap one of the windows that has the Safari tab you thought had disappeared. 2. Merge all Safari windows on iPad to get back hidden tabs. With Safari open on Mac, when you click Windows from the top menu bar, you see an option called Merge All Windows.

  6. Disappearing Safari tabs on iPhone and iPad? 10 Working fixes

    Tap Show All Windows. Now, you can see all the Safari windows that you have opened. Check if you can see the tab you are looking for in these windows. If you want to merge all these windows, I have mentioned the steps for that in the next part. 3. Merge all windows on iPad. Since managing all the Safari windows is a difficult task, the best way ...

  7. Safari Tabs Disappeared on iPhone? How to Get Them Back!

    Open Safari, and Select a tab. Long press the Bookmark icon on your iPhone or the address bar on your iPad, and a menu will pop up. Tap Add Bookmarks for [X] Tabs. The X represents the number of tabs. Create a name for the new folder. Now you can find your saved tabs anytime by tapping the Bookmark icon in Safari.

  8. Disappearing Safari Tabs on iPhone or iPad? How to Find Them

    Turn Off Auto-Close Tabs. If you still haven't been able to find some of your tabs, make sure that Safari isn't closing them after a certain duration on your behalf: Open Settings, tap through to ...

  9. If you can't open a Safari window on Mac

    If you can't open a Safari window on Mac. If you can't open Safari or a new Safari window, try these suggestions. Make sure you're using the latest versions of Safari and macOS. To check for a Safari or macOS update, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Software Update. See Keep your Mac up to date.

  10. Disappearing Safari tabs on iPhone/iPad Fix

    Go to Safari on your iPhone/iPad and select the Tab View button (two overlapping squares) from the bottom-right. Now press and hold the Plus button at the bottom of your screen a history of the recently closed tabs appears. Look through the list of tabs and try to find the one you need, then tap on it to re-open that tab.

  11. macOS: Recover Lost Tabs and Windows in Safari

    It's the shortcut for Edit> Undo Close Tab. You can also press this shortcut multiple times to get back several tabs if you went on a closing frenzy and then came to your senses. For you non ...

  12. Safari does not reopen the tabs after res…

    Safari Preferences "Open new window" not available I am running Safari 15.3 on Big Sur 11.6.4 on MacBook Pro (2019, 16"). Safari Preferences/General has for "Safari opens with:" only two options: - "All windows from last session" - "All non-private windows from last session" The following options are not available: - "A new window" - "A new private window" When I go to any other user account ...

  13. Why do all safari tabs just sometimes disappear and are gone?

    I had nearly maxed tabs, and then suddenly gone. Normally all I had to do was close the Safari window and wait a minute or two. It normally worked in the past. There was this one instance it didn't seem to work, as in the safari homepage twice in a row, but I just waited longer, and my tabs came back.

  14. If Safari doesn't open a page or work as expected on your Mac

    Reload the page. From the menu bar in Safari, choose View > Reload Page. Or press Command-R. If Safari doesn't reload the page, quit Safari, then try again. If Safari doesn't quit, you can press Option-Command-Esc to force Safari to quit. If Safari automatically reopens unwanted pages, quit Safari, then press and hold the Shift key while ...

  15. Control which windows Safari reopens on Mac

    To prevent windows from reopening every time you open Safari, use the system setting "Close windows when quitting an app". After you configure the system setting, check Safari settings as well: From the menu bar in Safari, choose Safari > Settings (or Preferences). In the General pane, choose a setting from the "Safari opens with" menu.

  16. How to retrieve windows that have moved 'off-screen'

    But then even after moving it around a little, if I plug the other screen back in it disappears off the edge again. The solution is: Unplug the second screen. Use the mouse to take hold of the title bar of the window (click and hold) While still holding on to the title bar, plug the monitor back in. Share.

  17. How to fix: Missing window of Safari application

    Point the mouse cursor on Safari application icon, press with two fingers on the mouse and in the drop-down window you see a list of windows Safari that you are used before rolled. To restart the application with the loss of open windows and tabs, click on Quit. After reload of the Safari application the bug will fixed.

  18. In Safari, my window disappears to the ri…

    For some reason, my Safari screens disappear to the right, only to come back when going to Full Screen through the Safari Menu bar which appears at the top when pointing the cursor there. Have tried all I can think off. In the past months on some occassions the problem had disappeared only to come back later. I use a 2011 Mac Mini with OSX Lion.

  19. 6 Ways to Fix Safari Disappeared from iPhone Home Screen

    Step 1: Go to the home screen of your iPhone and swipe down to open search. Step 2: Type Safari. The Safari icon should show up in the search results. Step 3: Touch and hold the Safari icon and ...

  20. 10 Best Ways to Restore Safari Bookmarks Disappeared on Mac

    Copy the most recent backup file and paste it into the same folder, renaming it to Bookmarks.plist if necessary. Open Safari to see if your bookmarks have been restored. 8. Restore Safari Bookmarks From Back Up. Another definitive way to turn back the clock and restore Safari bookmarks disappeared on Mac is backups.

  21. How to Recover Lost Safari Bookmarks

    What to Know. Restart Safari and see if bookmarks return. Or, tap iCloud > Account Settings > Advanced > Restore Bookmarks. Choose the bookmarks to restore and tap Done. Or, connect your Time Machine backup drive and use the Migration Assistant. Select the relevant backup and desired bookmarks. You can easily restore missing bookmarks using the ...

  22. Maximizing (not fulll screen) safari window in Bug Sur not working

    In Safari I use the same key combination and the green circle shows a plus (+) symbol when the mouse hovers over the icon, however when I click the Safari window does not expand all the way. It only uses about 60% of the horizontal area of the screen instead of the full 100% of the horizontal area.

  23. It's time for Apple to bring back Safari for Windows

    Apple continued to release new Safari versions for Mac and Windows, but when Safari 6.0 was released as part of Mac OS X Mountain Lion in 2012, a Windows version was missing.

  24. Safari's Hidden Picture-in-Picture Mode Is a Mac Game-Changer

    If a video is playing in Safari, go to the address bar at the top of the window, right-click the blue audio button to the right of the website URL in the address bar and click Enter Picture in ...